The Doctor of Nursing Practice: Defining the Next Steps, Essay Example

My interest in the nursing profession began over a decade ago and I have continued to growth and thrive in the field since 2006, when I earned my LPN and began a career in long-term care. In 2013, I graduated with my Associate degree in nursing, and earned by BSN in 2014. Throughout this period, I have gained valuable experience in long term care that has been highly beneficial in my success in the field to date. I believe that I am a strong fit for the DNP program because I possess the knowledge, skills, motivation, dedication, compassion, and expertise to achieve success at an advanced level within the nursing profession, and in particular, as a family nurse practitioner.

A DNP degree will be beneficial in enabling me to achieve a number of professional goals and objectives that will support my career and my overall growth as a human being. The nursing profession provides a significant opportunity to learn about my inner strength and fortitude as I work with patients with long-term care needs. However, in recent years, I have recognized that I strive to expand my knowledge of the nursing field and wish to treat families with a variety of health issues and who also seek advice regarding methods to improve their health. As a family nurse practitioner, I will be able to work with and support these families to make a different in their lives, and to utilize my education and experience in this advanced practice role.

Earning my degree as a DNP will provide me with an opportunity to explore my own career path at a higher level. This advanced degree will enable me to work in an advanced practice role that will provide a suitable approach to my skillset and to support my professional growth, which is common at this level of education (Grey, 2013). I am confident that in the DNP role I will be able to serve my patients well and provide them with effective knowledge and resources that will guide them to improving their own health and wellbeing. The DNP education program will enable me to acquire these skills and to learn how to work with many different types of patients in the family practice setting. This knowledge will support a professional point of view to achieve the necessary outcomes for patients (Keating, 2014). It is important to recognize the value of these conditions and to make the most of all patient care situations, using the knowledge that I have acquired through my education and the resources that are available throughout the nursing profession.

My DNP education will be highly beneficial in many ways and will expand my professional growth and maturity to a new level. Within the nursing profession, the DNP role is invaluable and provides further evidence of the need to support patients and to provide them with the resources that are necessary to achieve a successful practice environment. I believe that nurses must continue to explore the advanced practice model and the theoretical perspectives that are available in order to effectively work with, evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients facing a variety of health situations in a manner that is consistent with demonstrating compassion, understanding, support, acceptance, and caring for all patients.

My entrance into the DNP program will enable me to continue to explore my journey into new areas of the practice environment and will support my growth and understanding of the nursing profession at an advanced level. This process will facilitate my ability to grow and thrive in a family practice setting where this role is likely to be invaluable for the profession and for the patients who are served. This process will also have a meaningful and lasting impact on patients and will provide them with the tools and resources that are required to make a difference in the lives of patients, regardless of their individual health circumstances, culture, language spoken, geographic location, and many other areas.

References

Grey, M. (2013). The doctor of nursing practice: Defining the next steps. The Journal of nursing education, 52(8), 462-465.

Keating, S. B. (2014). The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP). Curriculum Development and Evaluation in Nursing, 299

Nichols, C., O’Connor, N., & Dunn, D. (2014). Exploring Early and Future Use of DNP

Prepared Nurses Within Healthcare Organizations. Journal of Nursing Administration, 44(2), 74-78.